


You can't leave me yet, okay?

by xtinyteenyx



Category: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)
Genre: Hopeful Ending, Hospitals, Hurt TK, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Owen & Carlos talk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-04
Updated: 2020-03-04
Packaged: 2021-02-28 16:48:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23010496
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xtinyteenyx/pseuds/xtinyteenyx
Summary: The 126 had been confused when Officer Reyes had walked into the hospital, unsure why he was there for TK.OR: The team finds out TK has more then just the 126 by his side, and Owen finds out there is someone that may just deserve his sons attention.
Relationships: Carlos Reyes/TK Strand
Comments: 19
Kudos: 827





	You can't leave me yet, okay?

**Author's Note:**

> I can't do summaries to save my life, so if you're here despite that, thank you and I hope you enjoy.

The 126 was anxiously waiting outside of TK’s room, letting their Captain have a moment alone with his son. They had just brought him back from surgery a few hours ago, he was okay physically, they re-inflated his lung and patched him up. They had to wait for TK to wake up to see how he was mentally, if there were any issues they couldn’t tell while he was unconscious.

Owen had told the team to go home, to get some rest, and he’d keep them updated. They had refused, strongly. Marjan was keeping them awake by bringing them new coffee’s every time they finished the others she had brought. They just wanted him to wake up, they needed the reassurance that their teammate, their brother, would be okay. 

Mateo is the first one to see the officer, having been facing the way he came in. He let out a slightly confused noise that caught the rest of the team’s attention. They all turned their attention to Mateo, silently asking him what was up.

“What’s Officer Reyes doing here?” Mateo questioned. The team all turned to where Mateo was looking, seeing the Officer at the front desk, speaking to a nurse. 

“I got it.” Paul spoke, before moving to go to the Officer.

“He’s got what?” Mateo asked, confused. 

“Maybe he’s here for a statement or something?” Marjan contemplated, “TK was shot, it may have been an accident, but it was still a shooting.”

They all watched as Paul walked over to Officer Reyes, seeing Paul putting his hand to his arm, notifying he was there. 

“It don’t look like he’s just here for a statement, to me.” Judd stated, all of them seeing the pure terror and misery on Office Reyes’ face when he turned to look at Paul. 

“Is he a friend of TK’s?” Marjan asked, throwing out an idea as why the man was here, “I mean, TK doesn’t really tell us much about his life outside the station… Does anyone know?”

“I guess, maybe?” Mateo shrugged, “I mean he’s got to have friends outside of us, right?”

They watched as Paul and Carlos interacted, it seemed like they knew each other in a capacity that was more than just, general passing like with the others. 

“Hold up, is Paul friends with him?” Judd asked confused, “They seem to know each other pretty well.” 

The team watched intently. This slight distraction, helping with the feeling of hopelessness they were feeling, at their friend being just a few feet from them, in pain and unconscious. 

“Reyes.” Carlos heard his name, before feeling an arm on his shoulder. Carlos turned, to see Paul, his face grim and understanding. 

“Paul, is he okay?” Carlos asked, “I had just left the scene when it happened, I guess? I had no idea. I just found out. He’s okay right?”

“Hey man, breathe.” Paul said gently, “He’s okay. He’s out of surgery, the bullet got him in the lung, but the doctors fixed it and he’s going to be fine. We’re just waiting for him to wake up.” 

“Okay, okay.” Carlos took a deep breath, a few tears letting lose at hearing TK was okay, well as okay as one could be when being shot. 

His heart had stopped when he had found out. He had been sitting as his desk, writing up a report on what had happened with the man with dementia. It had been hours since, and he was exhausted. He checked his phone again, hoping for a text from TK. Carlos had asked what had happened with the other family, wanting to make sure everything was okay, knowing they were probably terrified of the almost break in, but he hadn’t heard back yet. Which wasn’t uncommon, he knew TK was working. 

Michelle called not to long after that, telling him what happened to TK, his TK. There had been a gun on the scene. Carlos knew there was a gun on scene, but he was told it was taken care of and the scene was secure. He should’ve checked. He should’ve made sure. Now TK was shot. He was in the hospital in surgery with no guarantee that he would be okay. Carlos couldn’t breathe. He had just found TK. They were just getting to a place where TK was opening up to him, and letting him close. Carlos had been all in since the moment TK smiled at him. Carlos was just waiting for TK to catch up. 

And now… TK was hurt. TK was in the hospital. TK was shot, in the lung.

Carlos had raced to his Chief’s office. He notified her that he had to leave, and would need the next few days, explaining what had happened. She had told him to take all the time he needed, Carlos had more than enough personal time to use. 

He was not ashamed to say that he took the police cruiser, turning on his lights and racing to the hospital. Carlos wasn’t sure if it would be weird if he showed up, or if he’d be unwelcome. The only one from the 126 that even knew that he knew TK was Paul, from their night at the club. TK hadn’t wanted to tell anybody. They were taking everything slow, and TK played everything close to the chest. He wasn’t sure if TK would even want him there, because as much as Carlos cared about him, and wanted to be with him in every way, TK was still hesitant. Still held back by his past and his fears. Carlos was sure, him showing up, would notify every one of their ‘not-really’ relationship. But he needed to know. Needed to know he was okay. 

“I don’t really know if I should be here.” Carlos confessed, “I’m not his boyfriend, no one even knows that we’re friends other then you… he wanted-… but I can’t st-… I nee-”

“Hey, take it easy, Carlos.” Paul interrupted, putting his hand on Carlos’ shoulder in comfort, “You may not be his boyfriend, but I’ve seen you two together man. TK may be cautious, but there is no way that boy would be mad at you for needing to see him. He was shot man. None of us could’ve seen that. We fight fires, you’re the one that goes against people with guns. Do you really think, had the situation been different, and that was you in there, that he wouldn’t be right there by your bedside?”

“But we’re n-”

“Let me answer that for you, there is no way our boy would be anywhere but by your side if this was you. So, no, you guys aren’t boyfriends. But we both know how you feel about him, and we both know he cares about you. Don’t put more stress on yourself then there already is, man.”

Carlos nodded, reaching up to wipe at the tears on his face, “I need to see him.”

“I know you do.” Paul replied, nodding his head towards where the rest of the 126 were, all of them watching the interaction closely. 

They walked over to the rest of them team, Paul gently pushing Carlos to the door of the room TK was in before joining the rest of his team. 

“Yo, Paul,” Mateo whispered, “Are they friends?”

“You could say that.” Paul replied, letting them make their own assumptions. 

Carlos stood just outside the doorway to TK’s room, seeing Captain Strand, sitting by his sons bedside, gripping his sons’ hand, begging him to squeeze back. 

Carlos felt his heart breaking, feeling the tears falling down his face, and knowing he couldn’t stop them if he tried. TK was pale, hooked up to machines, and so still. All he could think was that, they hadn’t had enough time. Carlos hadn’t spent enough time in this beautiful boys presence. Hadn’t had enough time to show TK how he deserved to be treated. Hadn’t had enough time to kiss him. Hadn’t had enough time to love him. 

Captain Strand must have felt the new presence behind him, because Carlos was pulled out of his thoughts by his confused, “Officer Reyes?”

“Sir.” Carlos replied, trying to stand up straighter, sniffling slightly, “I was just… I needed to check. I needed to see… I-I.”

Carlos saw the moment the eldest Strand put it together. Saw the lightbulb in his eyes, turn on, at Carlos awkward stumbling over words. Not knowing what to say to the father of the man he was kind of, but not really, seeing. 

“So… you’re it, huh?” Owen asked, a slight lift to his lips in some semblance of a smile. 

“Sorry, it? Sir?” Carlos asked confused, awkwardly shifting his weight. 

Owen turned more in his chair, his hand still tight in his son’s grip, not wanting to let go, “It… the reason my sons hasn’t been such a shell of a person lately.” 

“Oh, no. Sir, I don’t think-”

“Reyes, my son hasn’t been okay in a long time. It’s been years since I’ve seen him happy, years.” Owen emphasized, “I knew something had changed in the last few months. It was too late for it to have just been from the move, so I knew something had changed in his life and I knew he didn’t want to talk about it. But I’ve seen my son smiling a lot lately, at his phone after a text, after coming home from being out with a ‘friend’, and at absolutely nothing.”

“Sir… I…” 

“Why don’t you sit with him for a while?” Owen asked, already standing from his chair. 

“Oh no, I don’t want to impose, sir. And I don’t know if he’d wan-” 

“Reyes, sit your ass down and hold my sons’ hand.” Owen said, a hint of plea in his tone. Carlos nodded, slowly making his way into the room, closer to where TK lay, so still. 

“Thank you, sir.” Carlos said, voice filled with emotion at being allowed at TK’s bedside. Owen didn’t reply just gave him a smile and patted him on the shoulder, before leaving the room. 

Owen walked over to the team, all of them standing to greet him, asking if he was okay, asking if there was any change, asking about Officer Reyes. 

“No change, and I’m okay… or I will be once he wakes up. As for Officer Reyes…” Owen looked back into his sons’ room. He saw the slight hitch in Carlos’ shoulders, like he was silently crying, saw him gripping one of his sons’ hand, while the other ran through TK’s hair. Owen looked back at his team and saw the same understanding, he had just had on his own face, though Owen didn’t miss the fact that Paul didn’t seem that surprised at all. 

“I’m going to go, take a walk.” Owen stated, knowing he would be walking straight to the small chapel that was in the hospital, “Give Officer Reyes a few minutes alone with TK, before going in.” 

The team nodded their heads in agreement, before sitting back down. Letting the cop have his moment. 

“You really have a way of keeping me on my toes, don’t you, Tiger?” Carlos whispered, taking TK’s hand in his, rubbing his thumb over the skin there. He looked up at TK’s face, his heart pounding, and the feeling of misery hitting him once again. 

“You can’t leave me yet, okay?” Carlos pleaded, reaching up a hand to pet through TK’s hair, not having been able to do it before. Carlos letting TK set the pace, meant that they hadn’t been intimately close since that failure of a dinner at his house. Carlos had been able to be a little close when they had been at the club, but other than that, TK kept a good amount of touching distance between them. Carlos knew it was because TK didn’t want to do too much too soon, scared of the kind of intimacy that Carlos wanted to give. 

Carlos understood that, knew that TK needed time, knew that after his disastrous relationship in New York, and the relapse, that he needed time to mend his heart back together, before giving it to someone else. Carlos was okay with waiting, as long as he was able to be close to this beautiful man, Carlos would wait as long as he had to. TK was worth that. 

Carlos didn’t know how long he stayed like that, gripping onto TK, running his hands through his hair, before he felt a hand on his shoulder. He jumped slightly, having been so invested in his thoughts, he hadn’t heard the others walk in. Carlos looked to see Paul behind him, his hand on his shoulder in comfort. Marjan and Mateo at the end of his bed, looking at their teammate and hoping he woke up soon. Needing him to wake up. Needing him to be okay. 

They hadn’t even known each other for a year yet, had barely been a team for half of a year. But the team had gotten so close, had become a family so quick, and seeing one of their own like this was heart wrenching. The team had figured they would have to eventually see a team member in a hospital bed, but if they were being honest, they thought it would’ve been their Captain. They knew how serious lung cancer was, and with their Captain being a firefighter, smoke inhalation was a very real risk that was faced almost every day. 

The 126 had not expected TK to be the one. TK who the team barely knew anything about. TK who the team knew had it rough in New York, and for that, was closed off to almost everything. TK who cared so much about each of them. TK who spent time making sure everyone was safe, not just in the field, but in their life. TK who was passionate and kind-hearted and genuine. TK was family, to each of the members of the team in their own way, and it was killing them to see him like this. 

It may have been an hour, maybe less or more then, when the Captain came back. He told the team to go home, get some sleep and change and he’d keep them updated. The team had fought back, but the Captain was forceful this time, making it an order rather than a question. The team finally agreed, each wishing TK better, before leaving. 

“You should too, Reyes.” Owen said softly, his heart soft at seeing this man in the same position he had been in the last time he looked, “You can’t be comfortable in that uniform while sitting in a hospital chair.” 

Carlos shrugged a shoulder, his eyes never straying from TK’s face, his hand still in his hair, “If it’s okay with you, I’d really like to stay.” 

“Well, I’m not your Captain so I can’t really order you out.” Owen shrugged, taking the chair on the other side of his sons’ bed.

“No,’ Carlos stated, before looking up at Owen, his eyes sad and red, “but you are his father, and I’ll go if you want me too.”

Owen looked at the man. The open and raw emotion he held, and all for his son. Owen had seen the officer at many scenes, always calm and collected, always professional. This was the most emotion he’d ever seen on the man. Owen always thought he was a damn good cop, possibly the one he liked and respected the most from the Austin PD, and now seeing him with his son. The gentle holding, and emotion he had for his boy. Owen couldn’t turn him away. 

“No, you don’t have to go if you don’t want to, son.” Owen told him, putting out his own hand to hold TK’s, “I’m sure he’d be happy to know you were here.” 

Carlos let out a small sigh, “I don’t know about that, sir.”

“Owen.” He replied, “You don’t have to keep calling me sir, Officer.”

“Carlos then, sir. If we’re going to be informal.” 

“Carlos, it is.” Owen nodded his head, “Thank you for being here for him.” 

“I’m honestly not sure if he’d want me here.” Carlos confessed.

“Aren’t you…?”

“I’m not his boyfriend.” Carlos responded to the unasked question. 

“But you want to be?” Owen asked, gently grilling him. 

“I do.” Carlos spoke truthfully, not wanting to lie to this man. Not when he was allowing him to sit by his sons bedside. “I care so much for your son.” 

“But he’s not ready.” Owen concluded. He knew his son, knew TK was holding back his heart as much as he could. Owen knew his son had been happier, could see how much lighter he’d been lately, knew something was making him happy. But Owen also knew that his son was terrified of being hurt again. 

Suddenly, their talk the other night had come to mind. Maybe it wasn’t just losing Owen TK had been talking about. TK said he couldn’t open his heart to love one more thing to lose it. Of course, Owen knew part of TK was talking about him when talking about Buttercup, of course he did. But maybe it was also for Carlos. TK had been all in with Alex, and it had been ripped away from him, from the man he had opened his heart to. Maybe TK had also been talking about this man at his bedside, terrified of giving himself to Carlos for fear of his heart being ripped apart again, like Alex had done to it. 

“No, he’s not.” Carlos agreed, pulling his hand away from TK’s hair, to grip his hand in both of Carlos’.

“He had a rough time in New York, Carlos.” Owen explained, “He just needs time.” 

“I know, sir. He’s told me about his time before coming to Austin. I know he needs time, and I’m more than willing to give it to him.” 

“He told you about, before?” 

“Yes, about his ex,” Carlos’ tone had a hint of resentment at saying ‘ex’ that Owen appreciated, “and he told me about the, uh… relapse.” 

Owen was floored. He hadn’t known he talked to anyone about that but him and his therapist. Owen knew how close TK kept that kind of information about himself. Owen knew he mentioned his ex to the guys, but Carlos seemed to know so much more. His son, who was terrified of letting anyone in, talked to this man about his worst moments. Carlos obviously meant a lot more to his son that he, or even Carlos, realized. 

“I told him I’d be here when he was ready, he’s setting the pace.” Carlos voice broke into Owens shocked thoughts, “I’m just waiting for him.”

“Thank you, Carlos.” Owen’s voice was filled with emotion, Carlos looked up to see a look of awe and appreciation in the Captain’s eyes. 

“For what, sir?” 

“For being there for him, for waiting for him… for seeing that he’s worth it.” Owen replied, giving Carlos a smile. 

Carlos gave a shy smile back, “You don’t have to thank me for that, sir. I knew from the moment I met him that I would do anything just to get him to smile at me. I wasn’t going to give up on a man as great as your son.” 

Owen looked at Carlos, the blush greeting his face at his confession, the look of wanting and love in his eyes as he looked at his son. The desperation in his body language for his son to wake up. How he held his son’s hand. This man was good. Good for his son. 

To Owen, no one deserved his son. But Carlos seemed to be in a running to change Owen’s mind about that, even if he didn’t realize it. 

They let the silence wash over them, listening to the steady beeping of the monitor, and watching TK breathe. Both men desperate for him to open his eyes, and knowing that neither was leaving until he did. 

Owen woke to the feeling of eyes on him, he took a moment to stretch out, the pain from falling asleep in the hospital chair, making itself known. Once Owen opened his eyes, he noticed just whose eyes were on him. 

“TK?” he whispered, jumping from his seat to close the distance between them. 

“Dad.” TK’s voice was scratchy, and rough. Owen grabbed the water next to the bed and put the straw to his sons’ mouth, letting him drink to soothe his throat. Once he saw his son was done, he put the cup back and returned his attention to his kid. His son who was awake. 

“How are you feeling, kid?” Owen asked, seeing the terrified look on his sons face, and the grimace of pain. 

“Dad, I’m sorry.” TK whispered, tears coming to his eyes, “What did I do? What did I take?”

Owen felt his heart break, his son thought he relapsed again, thought he put himself in the hospital bed, “No TK, you didn’t take anything. Breathe, son. This wasn’t you, this was from a call, okay? Take a breath for me.”

Owen watched as his son took a few breaths, saw the look of concentration in his eyes, trying to think back to what happened, “I was shot… how’s the kid? Is he okay.” 

“He’s fine, he wants you to know he’s very sorry, he even wrote you a ‘Get well soon’, card. Everyone’s okay, you’re the only one that was hurt.” Owen assured. His kid, of course he had to make sure others were okay before himself, “Now, how are you feeling?” 

“It’s hurts.” TK replied, his voice hitching in pain. Owen pressed the call button for the nurse. 

“It’s okay, they’ll come give you something for the pain, okay?”

“No! Dad, bu-”

“It’s okay, they have been notified. Nothing they’ve been giving you has been opioid-based, okay? You’re fine.” Owen reassured his son. TK nodded, his body relaxing at the knowledge. It was when he was relaxed, back into his pillow, that he noticed the other presence in the room. TK looked down to the side his father wasn’t on, and saw Carlos. He had TK’s hand tight in his, his head on the bed by his hip, fast asleep. 

“Oh yeah.” Owen said, seeing where TK’s eyes went. “Your boy’s been here almost as long as I have. Refused to go home to change.” Owen watched his son looking at Carlos. Saw the shock at seeing him there, saw his son take in Carlos appearance, still in uniform, dried tears on his face, and his hand gripped in his. 

TK looked back at his father, his eyes wide with amazement at Carlos being there and Owen got it. TK was a firefighter, this isn’t the first time he’s been in the hospital because of it, but back in New York, Alex had never cared enough to sit with him. He had asked Owen for updates and left, saying hospitals weren’t his thing. Alex had never stayed by his bedside in worry, tears dried on his face and asleep by his side. 

“I talked to your boy quite a bit while waiting for you to wake up. He’s a good one, kid. He cares a lot about you.” Owens voice was cautious, knowing how much his son liked to talk about things of this nature, “I know you’re scared of your heart being broken again, but I have to say TK… this one seems ready to protect it with everything he has, if you give it to him.” 

TK opened his mouth, and then closed it, unsure what to say, before looking back at Carlos. Even in sleep, you could see the worried look he had, the fear he held. 

The nurse walked in then, she checked over TK and gave him something for the pain. She told him to let him know if he needed anything, and that she’d have the doctor come into check on him when he could, before walking out. Once she was gone, Owen went back to TK’s side. 

“Why don’t you wake him up?” Owen suggested, “I think he needs to see you’re okay.” 

TK looked at Owen, hesitant, before nodding. Owen smiled at his son, before moving back to his seat. He couldn’t leave his son, not now that he was awake, but he moved his char a bit away and turned it to face away from the men. He could still hear them, but he was giving them a facade of privacy. 

TK moved the hand that was in Carlos’ hold, he felt as Carlos tightened his hand in his, scared to let go. TK let out a breath, and moved his hand more, calling out a soft, “Carlos.” 

Carlos woke up slowly, his hand softening slightly in TK’s hand before glancing up. He saw Owen, though he and his chair were farther away from the bed, and turned away. Carlos blinked bleary eyes, confused before looking to TK and saw beautiful, and bright green eyes looking back at him. 

“Tyler.” Carlos whispered out his name like a prayer, standing up and putting his head to TK’s, “You’re awake.”

Owen couldn’t help the slight sound of shock he made at hearing Carlos call his son by his first name. He didn’t think anyone but him even knew his first name. He was even more surprised at the lack of annoyed huff he gave whenever Owen dared use it. Yeah, as much as his son was scared to admit it, he definitely cared a lot for this man. 

“I’m awake.” TK repeated, the hand not being held in Carlos’, moving up to cup his cheek, “You’re here.” 

Carlos closed his eyes and took a deep breath before opening them again, and TK saw them glistening with tears, “Please don’t do that to me again.” 

“I’m okay, honey.” 

“And I’m sorry, if it’s weird that I’m here. I know we’ve been keeping it just friends, and I wasn’t sure if I should come, because I knew your team didn’t know, but I had to see you Tyler. I had to ma-…”

TK pushed his head up just the slightest bit, pressing his lips to Carlos’ to quiet him. Carlos breath hitched in surprise at feeling TK’s lips on his, before kissing back. Desperate not to miss the chance to kiss his beautiful TK. Carlos heart was pounding. He hadn’t had TK’s lips on his since the failed dinner. This felt like coming home. It was nothing but a press of lips, neither deepening it. Just a kiss to reassure each other that they were alive. 

TK pulled away, and kept his forehead to Carlos’, “I’m glad you’re here with me.” 

Carlos smiled, “I’ll be there whenever you need me, Tyler Kennedy.” 

“Okay, listen.” TK gave a huff of a laughter, “I allowed the first name, the middle name is pushing it.”

“Honestly I’m surprised you allowed the first name.” Owen interrupted, laughing at how quick Carlos pulled away from his son, as he turned back to face them, though he kept TK’s hand held in his. 

“I like when he says it.” TK admitted, smiling up at Carlos. Carlos looked back at TK, his smile wide and bright. 

That was the moment Owen knew. Watching the way TK smiled at Carlos, seeing the way Carlos returned it. Officer Reyes was in his son’s life for the long-haul, and Owen couldn’t say he was mad about it. If anyone was going to treat his son the way he deserved, it would be this man, Owen could tell.


End file.
